INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY AND RADIATION SAFETY PERSONNEL (IRRSP) PROGRAM

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ACCP Certification

About ACCP Certification

The ASNT Central Certification Program (ACCP) was introduced in 1996 in order to improve NDT reliability and accuracy among practicing NDT personnel and to provide customers and prospective employers with a third-party certification program that aligned with the international NDT certification standard ISO 9712:1992, Non-destructive testing - Qualification and certification of personnel. Initially designed to provide options to meet multiple employer-based and central certification standards, it was revised to comply with ISO 9712:1999 in 2004. It is fully compliant with CP-106, the U.S. adoption of ISO 9712:2005. For more information on CP-106, visit the Codes and Standards Bodies web page.

In 2003, ASNT became the first NDT organization in the world to receive accreditation as a certification body in accordance with the international standard ISO 17024, Conformity assessment - General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. This accreditation was granted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. accreditation body, after a full audit of the ASNT certification programs. The scope of the accreditation included the ASNT Central Certification Program (ACCP), the ASNT NDT/PdM Level III program and the Industrial Radiography Radiation Safety Personnel (IRRSP) program. For more information on the ASNT NDT Level III and IRRSP programs, visit the About ASNT Level III Certification web page and the About IRRSP Certification web page, respectively.

The ACCP offers certification at two levels of qualification, ACCP Level II and ACCP Professional Level III, which are described below. Level I certification is not offered under the ACCP.

ACCP Level II candidates must successfully complete the following examinations:

A multiple-choice, written General Examination that covers the fundamentals and principles of the applicable test method;

A multiple-choice, written Specific Examination that requires candidates to read a procedure specific to the applicable industrial sector and the test method for which certification is sought;

An Instruction Preparation Examination (graded as part of the practical examination) that requires the candidate to answer questions demonstrating that they have the knowledge necessary to prepare a written work instruction; and

A Practical Examination that assesses the candidate’s ability to perform NDT in each applicable test technique on a minimum of two (2) CMC-approved test specimens. Techniques are described in the table under paragraph 7.5 of the ACCP-CP-1 document.

Personnel that meet all of the requirements for ACCP Level II certification are issued a wall certificate and a wallet card with photograph attesting that the holder has successfully completed the written and practical examination requirements described in the ACCP program document ACCP-CP-1. Certification is available for both levels of qualification in the MT, PT, RT, UT and VT test methods.

These certifications are transportable (they do not expire when the certificate holder leaves an employer) and may be accepted by employers as meeting all of the requirements of CP-106. As with all other ASNT certification programs, the employer has the ultimate responsibility to authorize their NDT personnel to work.

AWS Agreement

In 2004, ASNT and the American Welding Society (AWS) signed an agreement that permits AWS Certified Welding Inspectors (CWIs) and Senior Certified Welding Inspectors (SCWIs) to apply for ACCP Level II certification in the Visual Testing (VT) test method without additional examination.

The agreement followed a full review of the CWI and SCWI certification programs by the ASNT Certification Management Council (CMC) and their determination that the AWS certification examinations were comparable to the ACCP Level II examination requirements for personnel seeking ACCP Level II certification in the VT test method in the Direct Viewing technique and in the General Industry (GI) industry Sector.

Candidates are required to submit an AWS CWI/SCWI application, fees, a current CWI or SCWI certificate or wallet card, and a current (within 12 months) Jaeger J1 eye examination. In return, they receive an ACCP VT Level II certificate in the Direct Viewing technique and in the GI Sector and wallet card with a "VT*" designation signifying that the certification was issued based on the ASNT/AWS Agreement. Applicants that can document three years of Pressure Equipment experience and/or Remote Viewing experience may also qualify for those certification categories for an additional fee. The expiration dates of these certifications match the applicant AWS expiration date, and the ACCP documents are not valid unless accompanied by a currently valid AWS certificate or wallet card.

ACCP Level II Recertification

At the five-year interval after initial certification or recertification by examination (and at 10-year intervals thereafter), ACCP Level II certificate holders may renew their certification(s) by meeting the following requirements:

Submit the appropriate ASNT recertification application and fees;

Re-affirm the ASNT Level II Code of Ethics; and

Submit current (within 12 months) evidence of satisfactory near visual acuity (Jaeger J1 or equivalent) and color perception. If a color deficiency exists, applicants must send documented proof that they can discern indications in the applicable test methods. The method of documentation should be described in the employer's Written Practice.

Certificate holders must also affirm continued active employment in Level II functions as related to the NDT method(s) for which renewal is sought by submitting a letter from the employer affirming that the applicant has been actively employed in NDT and has been using the applicable test methods without significant interruption during the current five-year certification period. Alternatively, the individual may submit letters from two (2) third parties NDT users attesting that the applicant has satisfactorily performed NDT in the applicable test methods within the current certification period. For the latter alternative course, the individual must also demonstrate continued NDT involvement during the current five-year period of certification by submitting a minimum of 15 points in one or more of the activities listed in Table 1.

At the ten-year interval after initial certification or recertification by examination (and at ten-year intervals thereafter), ACCP Level II certificate holders must renew by submitting the appropriate ASNT recertification application and fees and taking an abbreviated practical examination. The renewal examination consists of a hands-on practical examination of at least two ASNT test pieces per test method with a minimum of one test piece in each applicable test technique.

AWS Agreement

Personnel who received their ACCP Level II VT certification through the AWS/ASNT agreement (designated on the certificate and wallet card by VT*) have ACCP expiration dates that match their current AWS CWI or SCWI certificates. These personnel may renew their ACCP VT certification by application when their current CWI/SCWI certification expires. Submittal of a renewed CWI or SCWI certificate shall be considered proof of qualification, but applicants must also submit the information detailed in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 above. Renewal may be done at the three- and six-year interval in this manner.

At the end of the ninth year of ACCP certification, the CWI/ACCP certificate holder must renew by examination by submitting a renewed CWI or SCWI certificate, the information detailed in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 above, and must take the abbreviated ACCP VT Level II renewal examination. CWI/SCWI personnel who can document the successful completion of the AWS CWI nine-year practical examination within that current certification period may use that examination in lieu of taking the ACCP renewal examination. If the AWS nine-year recertification practical examination is taken prior to the ninth year of ACCP certification, the AWS examination will be considered ACCP renewal by examination instead of renewal by points.

Third-Party Level II Certificate Holders

Personnel who gained ACCP Level II certification based on certification(s) issued by an accredited third-party NDT certification program that has renewal/recertification requirements that meet or exceed ACCP requirements may renew by submitting the documentation listed in paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 above, along with a copy of their current third-party NDT certificate(s) for the applicable test methods. A current Jaeger J1 (or equivalent) near-vision and color-perception eye tests must accompany this documentation.

Renewal by examination can be requested by the applicant at any time subject to the following conditions:

Applicants, at any time prior to the expiration date of any valid ASNT certification, may apply to ASNT for examination in any method(s) of NDT for which examinations are then offered by ASNT;

If such examination(s) are taken before the expiration date and successfully passed in methods for which the individual currently holds a valid certification, the process is considered to be renewal by examination for the purpose of fees and documentation; and

Failure to successfully renew prior the current ACCP expiration date will require that the applicant recertify by full examination as a new examinee.

For more information on the ACCP Level II program or to download applications, click HERE.

Initial Certification

To gain initial ACCP Professional Level III certification, applicants must submit a completed ACCP Professional Level III application and document their formal education and the required amount of Level II experience needed for the applicable NDT test method. ACCP Professional Level III candidates must successfully complete the following examinations:

Successful completion of these tasks will result in the issuance of an ACCP Professional Level III certificate and wallet card in that test method. This certification is valid for a period of five years from the date all certification requirements are met and expires at the end of the month five years from that date. Additional test methods may be added by taking the appropriate examinations for that test method. The period of certificate validity is 60 months from date of issue, ending on the last day of the expiration month shown on the wallet card and certificate.

Recertification

At the first five-year interval after being certified by examination (or if applicants came into the ACCP based on holding another third-party NDT certification), applicants may renew their certification(s) by points by meeting all of the requirements listed under the ASNT NDT Level III renewal requirements (above). Renewal by examination may be done instead of renewal by points at the request of the applicant.

At the 10-year interval, applicants must renew by examination by meeting all of the requirements listed under the ASNT NDT Level III renewal requirements listed above, with the exception of the requirement of an abbreviated renewal examination in lieu of points. The written renewal examination consists of 10 questions on certification programs and 20 questions per test method covering the application of that test method.

Personnel who gained ACCP Professional Level III certification based on certification(s) issued by an accredited third-party NDT certification program, which has renewal/recertification requirements that meet or exceed ACCP requirements, may renew their ACCP by submitting the documentation listed in paragraphs 1, 2 and 4(a) and (b) above, a copy of their current third-party NDT certificates for the applicable test methods, and a current (within 12 months) Jaeger J1 (or equivalent) near-vision and color-perception eye tests.

ACCP Professional Level III certification is not available through the ASNT/AWS Agreement.

For more information on the ACCP Professional Level III program or to download applications, click HERE.